EM list: I just want to make a few comments. First, if Saari told in that letter why his symmetry considerations should be important to me as a voter, I missed that part. I don't criticize mathematical fun that doesn't have practical relevance. People should do things that they enjoy, and no one's entertainment activities should be judged on the basis of their social importance. Obviously a mathematician can have that kind of fun with any situation that has any mathematical nature, including voting rankings, etc. Fine. But if that's all it is, and that does appear to be all it is, then Saari is wrong when he says that his symmetry considerations should govern our choice of voting systems. He didn't say we should have to elect the President by the Borda System (BS), but he did imply that his symmetry considerations should be used in the choice of methods. And that he personally couldn't accept a method that doesn't cancel those symmetries. Saying that he couldn't accept that shouldn't be taken as meaning that we shouldn't. When you consider the infinite number of mathematical entertainments that there could be, even based only on voting systems & rankings, it must be clear that we not only can't pursue all of them, but that it would be counterproductive to start chasing mathematical issues that haven't been demonstrated to have practical relevance to the voter. There are enough relevant voting system issues, without pursuing irrelevant ones. And I don't think Borda is enough of a threat to warrant any time arguing against it now. Borda wouldn't have a chance as a public proposal. But IRV is at the door already, being heavily promoted & pushed all around the U.S. Instead of punching the Borda flypaper, let's just sink IRV wherever it surfaces. Mike Ossipoff ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
